The invention relates generally to a method and system for retrieving characters from a data base. More particularly, it relates to a method and system for retrieving ideographic characters such as Chinese characters from a dictionary data base in accordance with input information relating to a selected set of geometrical characteristics and the total number of strokes of a character to be searched. The invention effectively retrieves fewer characters for efficient identification of a desired one by the user.
Unlike English, there is no alphabet in Chinese. Chinese characters are made up of strokes. The strokes are quite irregular in shape. Varieties are plentiful. Thus, it is very difficult to search for a particular character in a dictionary. In conventional dictionaries, the first part or sometimes the most prominent part, called "bosau" of each character is isolated from the character. Bosau with the same number of strokes are arranged in the same group. Characters having the same bosau are arranged in the same group. Characters with less strokes are arranged before those with more strokes in each group. To search for a particular character from a conventional dictionary, one must first identify the correct bosau for that character and then run through the list of the characters with the same bosau bearing in mind the number of strokes.
There are several disadvantages to the conventional dictionaries. First, there are more than 200 bosaus in a standard Chinese dictionary. Although bosaus with the same number of strokes are arranged in the same group, it is often difficult to identify the right bosau in a particular character. There are characters which should fall within a group of characters with one particular bosau according to common sense, but for no apparent reason fall within another group of characters with a different bosau. Therefore, sometimes it is quite confusing and oftentimes one cannot find the right character even after spending a great deal of time.